Amidst surge in crimes against children, the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights convened a high-level meeting at Conference Hall, Secretariat, with heads of departments and district administration chaired by Chairperson Peter F. Borges. The joint meeting had representatives from Directorate of Education, Goa Educational Development Corporation, Tribal Welfare, Sports and Youth Affairs, District Magistrates, North Goa and South Goa and Goa Police.
In the opening remarks, Peter F. Borges, Chairperson said that child protection is everyone’s and a shared responsibility, including all departments which are either providing welfare or protection at various levels. Child safeguarding and protection is given too little attention for a quite some time now. The most common reactions being that it does not happen, is someone else’s responsibility or is an isolated incident.
He further said that child protection and welfare, is not charity and need to be just and decisive and all the actors need to improve the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the child protection system.